Collapsible play pen



March 1965 N. SCHWEIKERT 3,173,155

COLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN Filed July 23, 1963 F I G .3 0 INVENTOR NancySchweikert BY ZZW 3% 5M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,155QGLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN Nancy Sehweilrert, 3 Raul Revere Lane, Northport,N.Y. Filed July 23, 1963, Ser. No. 296,967 7 Q'Jiairns. (Cl. -98) Thisinvention relates generally to play pen structures for infants and youngchildren and more particularly to a novel construction for devices ofthe foregoing character whereby the entire play pen may be rolled intocompact form and conventionally carried, and readily erected for use atthe beach or elsewhere whenever a temporary confining area for the childis required.

Whereas play pens have heretofore been fabricated with the inclusion ofcollapsible features, relatively complex configurations have, however,been utilized to effectuate the desideratum of portability, with theattendant disadvantages of high cost and involved assembly anddisassembly procedures.

To the end of obviating the inherent shortcomings of devices known tothe prior art, the primary object of the instant invention resides inthe provision of a collapsible play pen essentially comprised of aflexible confining member and a plurality of support posts cooperativelyassociated therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of theinstant character wherein the corner posts include extensible stakesections adapted for retraction thus minimizing the length of the postsfor convenience of storage.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel cornerpost which is telescopically extensible, and means for retaining thecorner post in extended or retracted position, said means being furtheradapted to facilitate driving the post into the ground.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of adevice of the foregoing character which includes a floor member which isheld in alignment with respect to the peripheral confining member by theextensible stake sections of the corner posts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by meansof the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,combinations and improvements herein shown and described. Theaccompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof,illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible play pen,the utility of the step portion being shown as facilitating theoperation of driving the post into the ground;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the assembled collapsible playpen;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a corner post taken alongline 4-4 of FIGURE 5, the upper tubular and stake sections thereof beingshown in coacting relation with respect to the L-shaped angle plate;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a typical corner post;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the L-shaped angle plate; and

FIGURE 7 illustrates a carrying bag having the rolled up peripheralconfining member, the floor member and the corner posts containedtherewithin.

It will be understood that the foregoing general objectives and thefollowing detailed description as well are 3,173,155 Patented Mar. 16,1965 ice exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of theinvention.

eferring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of theinvention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 shows thecollapsible play pen in exploded disassembled form, said play pen beingcomprised of a peripheral confining member designated generally bynumeral 1, support or corner posts 2 and floor member 4, said elementsas assembled being disclosed in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The peripheral confining member 1 is formed of flexible fabric 6,preferably nylon mesh or other suitable material, and when supported bycorner posts 2, will assume a substantially rectangular position asshown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 having corners d and open top and bottomregions 10 and 12, respectively. Eyeletted dowlreceiving-openings 14 areprovided to function as postfastening means arranged to cooperate withcorresponding confining-member-fastening means to be describedhereinbelow, their purpose being to support said confining member 1 withrespect to said posts 2.

It will be appreciated that the confining member may be designed toassume a circular or other suitable shape where corner posts aresuitably provided to permit such other configurations.

Referring now to the detail shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, it will be seenthat the corner posts include upper tubular section 16 and lower stakesection 18, said sec tions being telescopically related. That is, lowerstake section 18 being of slightly smaller diameter than the insidediameter of upper tubular section 16, is coaxially slidable therein andis outwardly extensible with respect to the upper section through openend 20 thereof.

Said upper tubular section 16 is preferably closed at the upper end 22thereof and is provided with a plurality of dowls 24 extending normallyof the outside surface thereof, said dowls being provided to function asconfining member-fastening means arranged to cooperate withcorresponding aforesaid dowl-receiving openings 14 to support saidconfining member as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings. A passage26 is disposed through the wall of said tubular section 16 adjacent saidlower end 20 thereof, said passage being purposeful in coacting with theretention means to be described hereinbelow following, whereby saidupper and lower sections may be selectively secured in extended orretracted relation.

Retention means 28, illustrated operatively in crosssection and in planelevation in FIGURES 4 and 5, respectively, and in isolated planelevation in FIGURE 6, is seen comprised of an L-shaped angle platehaving one leg 30 thereof, pivotally attached to said tubular section 16by elongate hinge 32, said hinge being secured to said tubular section16 by welding as shown or by any suitable attaching means. The other leg34, thereof, provides a step portion extending outwardly with respect tosaid tubular section, a peg member 36 extending integrally andrearwardly thereof, said peg member being aligned with said passage 26disposed through the wall of said tubular section and removablyreceivable therewithin.

Upper and lower detents 38 and 49, respectively, disposed in linear,spaced relation within the surface of said lower stake section 18 may beselectively aligned with said passage 26 to thus register therewith;detent 33 being in registry when said stake section is in the extendedposition shown in broken line designation 18', detent 40 being inregistry therewith when said stake section 18 is in the retractedposition as shown in solid line designation.

Thus it will be appreciated that when section 18 is extended orretracted in the direction of arrow 42, retention means 28 will functionto secure said lower stake section 18 in the desired telescopingposition with respect to the upper tubular section 16. Accordingly, pegmember 36 which accomplishes such securement may be removed or receivedwithin passage 26 depending upon the position of hinged retention means28. Thus, release of said lower stake section will be effectuated byswinging said retention means to the broken line position designated bynumeral 28', or securement of said lower section in either of theaforedescribed alternate positions will be realized by swinging saidretention means to the downward solid line position. Once in thedownward position, said step portion 3 which extends perpendicularly tothe tubular section may be depressed as shown in FIGURE 1 by the foot ofthe user, thereby facilitating driving the stake section into theground, while simultaneously maintaining said stake section in extendedrelation with respect to the upper tubular section.

Floor member 4, formed of flexible fabric 44, is of substantiallyrectangular configuration, although other suitable configurations may beemployed. Said floor member is slightly larger of length and width thanis the projected area of the erected peripheral confining memher 1 tothereby overlap the bottom edge of said confining member as shown inFIGURE 3. Eyeletted openings 46 provided at each corner of fioor member4 are adapted to receive the lower stake sections 18 of corner posts 2,said post-fastening means 14 and said confining memberfastening meansbeing cooperative to retain said peripheral confining member about saidcorner posts in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the confining and floor members may be rolled upand carried within carrying bag 48, the corner posts beingtelescopically collapsible and also carryable therewithin.

In assembling the play pen after removal of the component parts thereoffrom the carrying bag, the floor member 4 is spread upon the ground,e.g., sand if at a beach area, and the stake sections, after beingextended as aforedescribed, are then driven into the sand by utilizationof the step portion integral with the retention means. The peripheralconfining member is then simply placed about the upright corner posts,the dowls 24 of said posts being inserted through the eyeletted openings14 provided at the corners of said confining peripheral members to thussecure said member with respect to said upright corner posts. Cut awayportions 5% are provided at the corners of the confining memberadjacently of the bottom edge thereof to preclude interference of thefabric with the step portion of the retention member 28.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the forms, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheralconfining member, four corner posts and a fioor member, said peripheralconfining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume asubstantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts,said confining member having four corners and open top and bottomregions, a plurality of spaced doWl-receivingopenings provided throughthe corners thereof, portions of said corners being cut away adjacentthe bottom edges thereof, said corner posts including an upper tubularsection and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections beingtelescopically related, said stake section having a plurality oflinearly spaced detents disposed within the surface thereof, saidtubular section being closed at one end and open at the other end, apassage being disposed through the wall of said tubular section adjacentsaid other end thereof, an L-shaped angle plate one leg thereof beingpivotally attached to said tubular section,

the other leg thereof providing a step portion extending outwardly withrespectto said tubular section and a peg member extending rearwardly ofsaid other leg, said peg member being removably receivable within saidpassage disposed through the wall of said tubular section, said pegmember being arranged for removable registry with respect to the detentsprovided within said stake section, a plurality of dowls extendingnormally of said tubular section, said dowls being receivable withinsaid spaced dowl-receiving-openings provided through the corners of saidconfining member, said floor member being formed of flexible fabric ofsubstantially rectangular configuration, an eyeletted opening providedat each corner of said floor member, said stake sections being removablyreceivable through said openings to thereby retain said peripheralconfining member in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

2. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheralconfining member, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheralconfining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume asubstantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts,said confining member having four corners and open top and bottomregions, post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of saidconfining member, portions of said corners being cut away adjacent thebottom edges thereof, said corner posts including an upper tubularsection and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections beingtelescopically related, said stake section having a plurality oflinearly spaced detents dis posed within the surface thereof, the wallof said tubular section having a passage disposed therethrough, saidpassage being positioned adjacent one end of said tubular section,confining member-fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubularsections, an L-shaped angle plate one leg thereof being hingedlyattached to said tubular section, the other leg thereof providing a stepportion extending outwardly with respect to said tubular section and apeg member extending rearwardly of said other leg, said peg member beingremovably receivable within said passage disposed through the wall ofsaid tubular section, said peg member being arranged in removableregistry with respect to the detents provided within said stake section,said floor member being formed of flexible fabric of substantiallyrectangular configuration, said fioor member being of greater area thanthe area confined by said confining member, an eyeletted openingprovided at each corner of said fioor member, said stake sections beingremovably receivable through said openings, said post-fastening meansand said confining memher-fastening means being cooperative to retainsaid peripheral confining member about said corner posts in uprightrelation with respect to said floor member.

3. .A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheralconfining member, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheralconfining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume asubstantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts,said confining member having four corners and open top and bottomregions, post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of saidconfining member, said corner posts including an upper tubular sectionand a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections beingtelescopically related, confining member-fastening means providedsurfacedly of said tubular sections, retention means adapted toselectively secure said sections in extended or retracted relation, saidretention means including a step portion upon which external force maybe exerted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of saidposts, said floor member being formed of a flexible fabric having anarea greater than the area confined by said confining member, aneyeletted opening provided at each corner of said floor member, saidstake sections being receivable through said openings, saidpost-fastening means and said confining member-fastening means beingcooperative to retain said peripheral confining mem her about saidcorner posts in upright relation With respect to said floor member.

4. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheralconfining member, four corner posts and a door member, said peripheralconfining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume asubstantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts,said confining member having four corners and top and bottom regions,post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of saidconfining member, said corner posts including an upper tubular sectionand a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections beingtelescopically related, confining member-fastening means providedsurfacedly of said tubular sections, retention means adapted toselectively Rcure said sections in extended or retracted relation, saidfloor member being formed of a flexible fabric having an area greaterthan the area confined by said confining member, an eyeletted openingprovided at each corner of said floor member, said stake sections beingreceivable through said openings, said postfastening and confiningmember-fastening means being cooperative to retain said peripheralconfining member about said corner posts in upright relation withrespect to said floor member.

5. In a collapsible playpen including corner posts for supporting aperipheral confining member, said corner posts each being comprised ofan upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular andstake sections being telescopicaly related, said stake section having aplurality of linearly spaced detents disposed Within the surfacethereof, said tubular section being closed at one end and open at theother end, a passage being disposed through the wall of said tubularsection adjacent said other end thereof, an L-shaped angle plate one legthere of being pivotally attached to said tubular section, the other legthereof providing a step portion extending outwardly with respect tosaid tubular section, and a peg member extending rearwardly of saidother leg, said peg member being removably receivable within saidpassage disposed through the wall of said tubular section, said pegmember being arranged for removable registry with respect to the detentsprovided within said stake section.

6. In a collapsible playpen including corner posts for supporting aperipheral confining member, each said corner posts being comprised ofan upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular andstake sections being telescopically related, said stake section having aplurality of linearly spaced detents disposed Within the surfacethereof, the Wall of said tubular section having a passage disposedtherethrough, said passage being positioned adjacent an end of saidtubular section, fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubularsection, said fastening means being adapted for connecting said cornerposts to said confining member, an L-shaped angle plate, one leg thereofbeing hingedly attached to said tubular section, the other leg thereofproviding a step portion extending outwardly With respect to saidtubular section and a peg member extending rearwardly of said other leg,said peg member being removably receivable within said passage disposedthrough the Wall of said tubular section, said peg member being arrangedin removable registry with respect to the detents provided Within saidstake section.

7. A collapsible playpen, comprising a peripheral in tegral confiningmember, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheral confiningmember being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantiallyrectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confiningmember having four corners and open top and bottom regions, a pluralityof spaced dowel-receivingopenings provided through the corners thereof,said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stakesection, said tubular and stake sections being telescopical- 1y related,a plurality of dowels extending normally of said tubular section, saiddowels being receivable Within said spaced dowel-receivingopeningsprovided through the corners of said confining member, said iioor memberbeing formed of flexible fabric of substantially rectangularconfiguration, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of saidfloor member, said stake sections being removably receivable throughsaid openings to thereby retain said peripheral confining member inupright relation With respect to said floor member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,100,310 6/14Lazarus et al -l5 X 2,134,879 11/38 Levy 13515 X 2,313,115 3/43 Allen etal 248-156 2,643,843 6/53 Brown 248-156 2,797,896 7/57 Cook et al. 256252,907,057 10/ 59 Specht 5344 2,95 8,084 11/60 Kenney 598 3,018,493 1/62Wittbrodt 5-98 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE PLAYPEN, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER, FOUR CORNER POSTS AND A FLOOR MEMBER, SAID PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER BEING FORMED OF FLEXIBLE FABRIC ADAPTED TO ASSUME A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION WHEN SUPPORTED BY SAID POSTS, SAID CONFINING MEMBER HAVING FOUR CORNERS AND OPEN TOP AND BOTTOM REGIONS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED DOWL-RECEIVINGOPENINGS PROVIDED THROUGH THE CORNERS THEREOF, PORTIONS OF SAID CORNERS BEING CUT AWAY ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGES THEREOF, SAID CORNER POSTS INCLUDING AN UPPER TUBULAR SECTION AND A LOWER STAKE SECTION, SAID TUBULAR AND STAKE SECTIONS BEING TELESCOPICALLY RELATED, SAID STAKE SECTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF LINEARLY SPACED DETENTS DISPOSED WITHIN THE SURFACE THEREOF, SAID TUBULAR SECTION BEING CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT THE OTHER END, A PASSAGE BEING DISPOSED THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION ADJACENT SAID OTHER END THEREOF, AN L-SHAPED ANGLE PLATE ONE LEG THEREOF BEING PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID TUBULAR SECTION, THE OTHER LEG THEREOF PROVIDING A STEP PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID TUBULAR SECTION AND A PEG MEMBER EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID OTHER LEG, SAID PEG MEMBER BEING REMOVABLY RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID PASSAGE DISPOSED THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION, SAID PEG MEMBER BEING ARRANGED FOR REMOVABLE REGISTRY WITH RESPECT TO THE DETENTS PROVIDED WITHIN SAID STAKE SECTION, A PLURALITY OF DOWLS EXTENDING NORMALLY OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION, SAID DOWLS BEING RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID SPACED DOWL-RECEIVING-OPENINGS PROVIDED THROUGH THE CORNERS OF SAID CONFINING MEMBER, SAID FLOOR MEMBER BEING FORMED OF FLEXIBLE FABRIC OF SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION, AN EYELETTED OPENING PROVIDED AT EACH CORNER OF SAID FLOOR MEMBER, SAID STAKE SECTIONS BEING REMOVABLY RECEIVABLE THROUGH SAID OPENINGS TO THEREBY RETAIN SAID PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER IN UPRIGHT RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLOOR MEMBER. 